As I type this, editors from across the Carolinas are meeting down on the first floor of this very building. What do they have in common? Their newspapers are all now owned by McClatchy.
Some — such as Raleigh, Rock Hill, Beaufort, Hilton Head — are old McClatchy, or as one corporate exec has put it, "McClatchy Classic." The rest — The State, Charlotte, Myrtle Beach — are the newbies, having been part of Knight Ridder.
It’s kind of like in "The Godfather," when the heads of the Five Families get together and eye each other warily. At best, they find a way to live together peaceably and perhaps even share some
resources (just as one don who has a drug connection might benefit from a symbiotic relationship with another don who has political protection). At worst, it could launch another wasteful war. In that latter respect, all eyes would be on the Corleones and the Tattaglias (Charlotte and Rock Hill) — the ones whose respective interests have clashed most directly in the past.
There were no threats uttered when I was in the room. But then, a man of respect doesn’t have to threaten.
Back to reality — the folks gathered below are all news people, so their confab doesn’t have much to do with me. But I went down to visit briefly and listen out of curiosity — and to say hi to folks I’ve worked with in the past.
In such an instance, when I am to be seen and not heard, what would be my greatest concern? Obviously, to look cool. So I had to make a decision: Should I take my coffee down in my gravitas-laden Foreign Affairs mug (above, both sides), which just shouts "thinking about geopolitics?"
I think not. Since this affair is sparked by corporate relationships, the only thing for it would be my official INITECH mug from "Office Space." Since it bears on one side the slogan, "Is This Good for the COMPANY?" it gives the proper, nonthreatening message to the uninitiated. The thoroughly hip will see something else, and smile.
Cool without being chilly. Just right.
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Uh, yeah, Brad…
Can you please make sure you fill out your TPS reports? That’d be greatttt…
I tell you what, could we talk about this later? I’ve got a meeting with the Bobs…
It’s kind of like in “The Godfather,” when the heads of the Five Families get together and eye each other warily.
And just as in the movie, these monopolistic worthies don’t have the people’s best interests at heart.
Brad, you should have a coffe mug that says on one side “Back Off” and on the other, “Words Can Kill You”. There ya go.
Tsk, tsk.
And after I refused to whack LexWolf after Herb got upset with him that time…
… which reminds me. I think I’ll do a post about that.
Forget cool, that’s hopeless. But if you want to be liked, bring a few boxes of Krispy Kremes.
Tattaglia’s a pimp.
He could never have outfought Santino.
But I never knew until this day, it was Warthen all along.
See, that’s one of the things I love about this blog: I have respondents who have wasted as much time as I have watching movies over and over. AND, they know which movies are WORTH such dedication…
God, it feels good t’ be a gangsta.